Team Canada Update: Dec. 22, 2000

After a big win against Sweden on Wednesday evening, the coaches didn't let the players rest on their laurels, putting them through their paces for no less than two hours in the morning.

In the afternoon, the team took a tour into Stockholm, visiting the Vassa Museum, where is maintained a ship that dates back to 1628. The ship was an extraordinary ship for its time. Perhaps too extraordinary as it sank some twenty minutes after it left dock for the first time.

The players also got in some shopping in the afternoon in downtown Stockholm. This was followed by a calm evening. Some players watched a movie and others just took the evening to relax.

Friday morning, the players took to the ice for a light pre-game skate under the watchful eye of Head Coach Stan Butler.

The team faced Sweden once again, this time in Vasteras, Sweden, about 1 hour 20 minutes from Stockholm. Vasteras has launched the careers of such Swedish NHL stars as Niklas Lidstrom and Tommy Salo. But since this fall, the city is without an Elite team, which succumbed to bankruptcy over the summer.

Canada stormed out of the gates with three goals in the opening period. Barret Jackman opened the scoring, going coast to coast on a stunned Swedish team, finally shovelling the puck over the goalkeeper from in close. Mike Cammalleri followed Jackman's goal with two markers, as Canada had a 3-0 lead after one period of play. The official scoresheet listed Canada as having only three shots on net. Although Canada did spend half of the period in the penalty box, it seemed as if the shot total was shortchanging the Canadian side.

Sweden had a better second frame, building momentum over consecutive powerplays, before eventually finding the mark on a powerplay. Tim Eriksson tipping home a shot by Magnus Hedlund by Maxime Ouellet, who didn't have a chance. But Canada re-established its three goal priority as Brad Boyes pounced on a loose puck during a scramble to make it 4-1 after two periods.

Dany Heatley added a goal in the third to make the final score Canada 5 Sweden 1.